Weighing scale



S. N. HURT WEIGHING SCALE July 28, 1936.

Filed May 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l l NV EN TOR. w

. A TTORNE Y.

July 28, 1936. 5, N HURT 2,049,297

WEIGHING SCALE Filed May 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Samuel N Hurt NVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

S. N. HURT WEIGHING SCALE July 28, 1936.

Filed May 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'ef' KV SO/nL/e/ /V Hurt NVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

July 28, 1936. s. N. HURT 2,949,297

WEIGHI'NG SCALE Filed May 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Samue/ Har INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEIGHING SCALE a corporation of New Jersey Application May 4, 1932, Serial No. 609,132

4 Claims.

This invention relates to weighing scales and particularly to scales of the type known as person weighers.

One of the principal objects of the invention is 5 the provision of an improved, reliable and accurate pendulum load counter-balancing mechamsm.

Another object is the provision of an improved person weighing scale in which the indicator is located so that the weight indication may be readwith ease, and only by the person standing on the scale. y

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:- Figure I is a, back elevational view with housl ing parts broken away showing the assembled mechanism of a device embodying the invention.

Figure II is a side elevational view of the device, with the housing members sectioned on the line II-II of Figure I,

Figure III is an enlarged plan view of the base and load supporting mechanism, with the platform removed.

through the base and load supporting mechanism, substantially along the line IV-IV of Figure III.

Figure V is an enlarged cross sectional plan lview, substantially along the line V-V of Figure I, illustrating in detail the relative positions of the load counterbalancing pendulums.

Figure VI is an enlarged fragmentary view of the electric illuminating means, the current source and the circuit breaking switch. y

Figure VII is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View, through the indicating sight opening, substantially along the lines VII-VIIof Figure II.

Figure VIII is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the indicator covering means and the coin actuated timing mechanism, in which the enclosing housing is broken away substantially along the line VIII-VIII of Figure IX.

Figure IX is an enlarged fragmentary back elevational view of the indicating mechanism, indicator cover and coin actuated timing mechanism, a portion of the enclosing housing is broken away; and 55, Figure X is an enlarged cross sectional view Figure IV is an enlarged cross sectional viewy through the timing dashpot, substantially along the line X-X of Figure IX.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a base I, preferably a rigid iron casting, contains and suitably supports load receiving mechanism, which 5 comprises a pair of levers of the first order 2 and 3, rockingly mounted by means of fulcrum pivots 4 and 5, respectively, upon bearings situated in brackets 6 and T. These brackets in this embodiment project inwardly from the walls of the 10 Y base I. Levers 2 and 3 are also provided with load pivots 8 and 9 upon which a platform supporting spider Il is mounted. The opposite ends of these levers are equipped with pivots II and I2, which are engagedby bearing loops I3 and 15 I4, to connect the levers 2 and 3 to pivots I5 and I6 fixed in the end of an extension lever I'I, fulcrumed with its pivots I8 on suitable bearings stationed on inwardly extending brackets I9. Lever Il is also of the first order and has a pair 20 of force transmitting pivots 20 adjacent its other end which engage loops 2| depending from a yoke 22 provided with connecting links 23. The upper ends of these links are provided with apertures for the reception of hooks 24 secured to the 25 lower end of flexible metallic tapes 25, which are fastened to and overlie cam-like surfaces on power sectors 26 and 2l, respectively, of load counterbalancing pendulums 28 and 29. To support the person desiring to obtain his weight a 30 platform 30 is provided which is fastened to the spider Ill resting upon the load pivots of the levers 2 and 3. This spider consists of a rear transverse cast bar 3I, having an integral downwardly extending bearing bracket 32 at each end. 35 In these brackets bearings 33 are fixed which rest upon the load pivots 8 fixed in the lever 2. A longitudinally extending bar 34, engages transverse bar 3l and is fastened thereto byr a screw 35, and similarly engages a forwardly located 40 transverse bar 3S to which it is swivelly fastened by screw 3l, so that it may turn slightly about the axis of this screw. Downwardly projecting brackets 38 are fastened to each end of the bar 36. These have curved bifurcated extending 45 portions 39 in which pivots 40 are fixed which engage bearing loops 4I (see Figure IV). The upper ends of these loops engage the load pivots 9 in the lever 3. To retain the load supporting platform 30, which rests upon the transversely 50 extending bars 3l and 36 screws 42 extend through platform and are threaded into these bars.

The load counter-balancing pendulums 28 and 2S, in addition to the cam-like surfaces of the sectors 26 and 2l previously mentioned, com- 55 prise fulcrum sectors 43, 44, 45 and 46. In this embodiment, these sectors are integral portions of power sectors 26 and 21 and with track members 41 and 48, from which they are suspended by iiexible metallic tapes 49 and 50, form varying ulcrum points for the load counterbalancing pendulums 28 and 29 which also comprise pendulum bodies 5l and 52 and weights 53 and 54. The track members 41 and 48 are secured to a rigid frame which is erected on one end of the base l and securely fastened thereto. Surmounting the frame 55 is a bifurcated extension member 56 which is adapted to receive a pair of antifriction ball bearings 51 in its upper furcations in which a shaft 58, supporting a rotatable chart 59, and a pinion 60 is fulcrumed. This chart 59 bears a series of weight indicia 6|.

The yoke 22, to which the force transmitting metallic tapes 25 are connected, has an upwardly extending member 62 fastened to it, near a point midway between the connections to the flexible metallic tapes 25. To the upper end of this member is fastened a resilient rack foot plate 63 having an upwardly extending rack foot 64. A rack rod 65 is positioned in the rack foot 64 and extends upwardly between the load counterbalancing pendulums 28 and 29 so that the teeth of a rack 56, fastened to the upper end of the rack rod 65, engage the teeth of the pinion 69.

When a load is placed on the platform 30, the force, resulting from the action of gravity on such load, is transmitted through the hereinbefore described lever mechanism to the load counterbalancing pendulums which are moved through an angle proportionate to the weight of the load. The rack 68, which is operably connected, revolves the chart through a commensurate angle and an index 61 points invariably to the proper weight indicium on the chart.

The index 61 is fixed to an index frame G8 fastened to an upwardly extending post-like member 69 secured to a horizontally extending portion 10 of the bifurcated frame 56.

To insure shockless and vibrationless operation of the scale, a dashpot plunger 1l is pivotally suspended at 12 from the yoke 22. This plunger co-operates, in a manner well known, with a dashpot body 13, secured to brackets 14 extending inwardly from the rear wall of the base, and thus eifectively dampens any vibration caused by the operation of the scale and absorbs shocks occasioned by persons jumping on the platform. This dashpot, however, need not be placed in the position shown; it may be placed in any convenient position, where its damping effect is sufficient for the capacity of the scale.

The counterbalancing pendulums 28 and 29 which face outwardly in opposite directions have concentric inwardly facing sectors 15 and 16 (see Figure V) secured to the hubs which are formed at the junction of the bodies 5l and 52 and the sectors 26 and 21, respectively. These sectors, when the scale is in an operative position, do not touch each other. When, however, the scale is placed in an extreme out of level position, the pendulum assembly on the side toward which the scale is tipped is prevented from swinging out of position by the track member along which its fulcrum sectors roll, while the other pendulum tends to swing away from its track. When the scale is thus tilted, the sectors engage each other and prevent displacement of the pendulums from the track members 41 and 48. The design and location of these sectors is such that the rack rod 65 may pass freely between them at all times.

A casing 11, which is provided with a removable back plate 18, encloses the frame members 55 and 56 and the mechanism assembled thereto. An opening 19 is provided in the top of the casing 11 immediately7 above the chart 59 and the index frame 68. This opening is covered by a frame 8D which retains a magnifying lens 8l provided for the purpose of magnifying the weight indicia.

For many purposes, the scale so far described is suicient to meet the requirements of an eilicient and accurate person weighing scale. Sometimes, however, the merchant owning the scale desires to charge a small fee for the service, and to collect this fee automatically. For this reason, I have provided coin controlled mechanism which is entirely independent of the weighing mechanisrn and, therefore, exerts no reactive ini'iuence thereon. A shutter 82 which is curved to conform to the curvature of the chart 59 overlies that portion of the chart which is immediately underneath the opening 19 in the casing 11 and, with the exception of the zero indicium which is visible in a small cut-out portion 83, successfully covers the indicia on the chart. The zero indicium is printed on a line below the other weight indicia on the chart so that it is the only figure which is visible when the shutter is in place. An arm 84 to which the shutter 82 is fastened is pivoted on a pintle 85 which is mounted in coaxial alignment with the shaft 58 on which the indicating chart 59 is rotatably mounted. Members 86 and 81 form a bracket in which the pintle 85 is fulcrummed; the member 81 has a rearward extension to which a substantially U-shaped member 88 is secured, forming a bearing bracket for a pintle 89 which extends through the body of a coin actuated lever 90. This lever is provided with a pocket-like coin receiving member 9i, which in normal position, lies beneath an opening 92 of a coin chute 93. The opposite end of the coin actuated lever 98 is provided with a stud 94 upon which a balancing weight 95 is threaded. By means of this weighty the balance of the lever 99 may be adjusted so that it is displaced by the weight of a certain coin. An adjustable connecting rod 96 is provided to pivotally connect an upwardly projecting portion 91 of the lever 90 to the shutter arm 84. The open upper end of the hereinbefore mentioned coin chute 93 registers with a coin slot 98 in a cap-like portion 99 which is an integral part of the lens frame 80 surmounting the casing 11.

The operation of a scale of the type described, equipped with the coin actuating mechanism, is substantially as follows: The person desiring to obtain his weight, steps on the platform, drops a proper coin, into the slot 98, which then descends through the coin chute 93 and strikes the pocketlike member 9| at the end of the lever 90. The weight of the coin overbalances this lever, causing it to turn in clock-wise direction about the axis of its pintle 89. The small connecting rod 96 pivoted to the portion 91 and to the shutter arm 84, causes the shutter arm and the thereto attached shutter 82 to rotate on its fulcrum pintle 85, also in a clockwise direction, thus exposing the proper weight indcium on the chart, to the view of the person standing on the scale. The lever 9D at the point where the small connecting rod 96 is attached has considerable mechanical advantage and the weight of the coin in the pocket-like member turns the shutter 82 very 75 rapidly. The coin is prevented from dropping out of `the open end of the receptacle 9|, by a coin guide |00, until the lever 90 has reached its lowermost position. This guide also serves the purpose of guiding the coin into a coin receptacle |0| stationed beneath the chart on the bifurcated extension member 56, provided for the accumulation of such coins. f

To prevent the shutter 82 from returning to its covering position, before the person standing on the scale has had opportunity to note his weight, I have provided a damping device in the form of a dashpot |02 to retard the return speed of the shutter, which may be of either the rair damping or oil damping type. In this embodiment of the invention I have shown a dashpot of the air damping type which comprises a body |03 (see Figure X) formed from apiece of brass tubing whose inside vwall is highlypolished. This is attached to a base |04 by brazing, soldering or by any other desirable means. A plunger |05 made of graphite, provided with a centrally located aperture |06 and a concentric countersunk hole |061, is slidably positioned in the body |03 pivotally depending from the coin actuated lever 90 at the point marked |08 and projecting through the apertures |06k and |061 of the plunger |05 is a plunger stem r|01 having a valve member |011 substantially semi-spherical in shape, threaded on its lower end.

When the shutter is displaced from its covering position by the weight of a coin in the receptacle 9|, the plunger stem partakes of the rapid movement of the lever 90 since its is pivotally secured to it. The movement of the valve member is much more rapid than that of the plunger |05 which is somewhat retarded by the air underneath, however, as the valve is now open, it does descend with suflicient rapidity so that it is again seated on the semi-spherical valve member, closing the aperture |06 when the coin drops from the receptacle 9|. The return speed of the lever 90, which is overbalanced by the weight 95, is now controlled by the damping action of the dashpot |02 in the well known manner as the semi-spherical member on the plunger stem seated in the countersunk valve opening eifectively retards the flow of air during the return stroke. The rate of retardation, however, may be adjusted by a valve screw |09 which controls the flow of air through an angular hole ||0 in the base |04 in a manner so widely known that I will not describe it to any greater extent.

To enable the person who is weighing himself, to readily read the weight indication at night or during the day-time when the scale is placed in a dark location, I have provided an illuminating system comprising a small electric light bulb (see Figure VI), a socket ||2 mounted in the upper end of the upwardly extending post-like member 69 which is fastened to the bifurcated frame 58. A circuit breaking switch I3 is also fastened to this post, but insulated therefrom. This switch comprises a rigid arm |4 provided with a contact point of silver or platinum ||5 and a flexible switch blade IIS, which in the embodiment shown, is a piece of highly tempered steel ribbon, insulated from the rigid arm ||4 and provided with a Contact point ||1 adapted to engage the point ||5. The switch blade has a normal bias to complete the circuit. An electrical lead ||8 connects one pole of a dry cell ||9 to the contact ||5; another lead |20 connects the contact ||1 to one of the filament terminals of the lamp and the other pole of the dry cell ||9 is grounded tolthe scale mechanism frame to complete the circuit when the points ||5 and engage each other. Although in this embodiment a dry cell is shown as a source of current, it will be readily seen that other current sources may be employed by using electric equipment of the proper capacity. The contacts ||5 and ill are normally held out of engagement when there is no load on the platform by an insulating pin |22 made from di-electric material and fixed in the upper end of the rack 66, and by an additional insulating pin |23 which is fixed to a laterally extending arm |24 screwed or riveted to the shutter arm 84.

When a person steps on the platform of the scale, the rack being actuated by the weighing mechanism, will be drawn downwardly, rotating the chart. The contact ||1 in the switch blade l i6, however, is still prevented from engaging the lower contact ||5, by the insulating pin |23. When a coin is inserted and the shutter moved from its covering position, the laterally extendarm |24 moves with it, withdrawing the pin |23 and allowing the contacts ||5 and to engage each other and complete the circuit, thus energizing the light bulb to illuminate the chart. The arrangement of these parts is such that it requires two operations, viz. a person must step on the platform and a coin must be deposited to illuminate the chart. If the second retaining member comprising the pin |23 and the arm |24 were not provided, it will readily be seen that the availablecurrent in the dry cell could be exhausted in a comparatively short time by boys or irresponsible mischievous persons repeatedly stepping on the scale or placing a load there- The embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a weighing scale, in combination, a frame, said frame including a pair of inwardly facing substantially vertical track members, flexible metallic fulcrum ribbons, means connecting the upper ends of said fulcrum ribbons to said frame, fulcrum sectors adapted to roll upwardly along said ribbons, means connecting the lower ends of said ribbons to said fulcrum sectors, a power sector rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors, said power sectors being curved about centers adjacent to the centers of curvature of the fulcrum sectors to which said power sectors respectively are rigidly connected, flexible metallic power ribbons overlying said power sectors and depending therefrom, means connecting the upper ends of said power ribbons to said power sectors, means to cause forces toV act downwardly upon said power ribbons, a pendulum rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors, said pendulums being arranged to swing inwardly past each other to counterbalance the effect of forces acting downwardly upon said power ribbons, and 65 an additional sector rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors and concentric therewith, said additional sectors extending toward each other with their curved faces adjacent each other and adapted to engage and thus prevent said 70 fulcrum sectors from swinging away from their respective track members.

2. In a weighing scale, in combination, a frame having inwardly facing track members, flexible fulcrum ribbons, means connecting the upper ends of said fulcrum ribbons to said frame, fulcrum sectors adapted to roll upwardly on said fulcrum ribbons, means connecting the lower ends of said fulcrum ribbons to said fulcrum sectors, an additional sector rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors and having a surface curved about the center of curvature of the fulcrum sector to which it is connected, the curved surfaces of said additional sectors lying adjacent each other whereby said fulcrum sectors are prevented from swinging away from their track members by engagement of the curved surfaces of said additional sectors with each other.

3, In a weighing scale, in combination, a frame having inwardly facing track members, exible metallic fulcrum ribbons, means for attaching the upper ends of said ribbons to said frame, fulcrum sectors adapted to roll upwardly on said fulcrum ribbons, means for attaching the lower ends of said fulcrum sectors to said fulcrum ribbons, a load-counterbalancing pendulum rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors, said load-counterbalancing pendulums being oiiset with respect to each other and positioned to swing past each other to load-counterbalancing positions, and an additional sector rigidly fixed to each power sector and concentric therewith, said additional sectors extending toward each other with their curved faces in close proximity to prevent said fulcrum sectors from swinging away from said track members.

4. In a weighing scale, in combination, a frame 5 having inwardly facing track members, flexible metallic fulcrum ribbons, means for attaching the upper ends of said ribbons to said frame, fulcrum sectors adapted to roll upwardly on said fulcrum ribbons, means for attaching the lower l0 ends of said fulcrum sectors to said fulcrum ribbons, a load-counterbalancing pendulum rigidly connected to each of said fulcrum sectors, said load-counterbalancing pendulums being o'set with respect to each other and positioned to swing l5 past each other to load-counterbalancing positions, a power member rigidly xed to each of said fulcrum sectors and extending outwardly beyond the fulcrum sector to which it is xed, means for causing forces to act downwardly on said power 20 members, and an additional sector rigidly fixed to each power sector and concentric therewith, said additional sectors extending toward each other with their curved faces in close proximity to prevent said fulcrum sectors from swinging 25 away from said track members.

SAMUEL N. HURT. 

